Video: Artur Davis speaks for the disillusioned

posted at 10:01 am on August 29, 2012 by Ed Morrissey

As I wrote on Twitter last night, we got Artur Davis, and the Democrats got Charlie Crist. So far it looks like a great trade, and they didn’t even get a player to be named later. We’ll see how Crist does next week in his speech to the Democratic convention, but Davis wowed the crowd at the GOP convention with his ten-minute speech aimed at those Barack Obama voters in 2008 that have become disillusioned in the four years since. “Maybe we should have known that night in Denver that things that begin with plywood Greek columns and artificial smoke typically don’t end well,” Davis told the crowd:

Here was a key part of the speech, and the key to why Davis matters a lot more than Crist regardless of performance:

We don’t need flowery words about inequality to tell us that, and we don’t need a party that has led while poverty and hunger rose to record levels to give us lectures about suffering.

Ladies and gentlemen, there are Americans who are listening to this speech tonight who haven’t always been with you, and I want you to let me talk — just to them – for a moment.

I know how loaded up our politics is with anger and animosity, but I have to believe we can still make a case over the raised voices.

There are Americans who voted for the president, but who are searching right now, because they know that their votes didn’t build the country they wanted.

To those Democrats and independents whose minds are open to argument: listen closely to the Democratic Party that will gather in Charlotte and ask yourself if you ever hear your voice in the clamor.

Ask yourself if these Democrats still speak for you.

When they say we have a duty to grow government even when we can’t afford it, does it sound like compassion to you — or recklessness?

When you hear the party that glorified Occupy Wall Street blast success; when you hear them minimize the genius of the men and women who make jobs out of nothing, is that what you teach your children about work?

When they tell you America is this unequal place where the powerful trample on the powerless, does that sound like the country your children or your spouse risked their lives for in Iraq or Afghanistan?

Do you even recognize the America they are talking about? And what can we say about a house that doesn’t honor the pictures on its walls?

John F. Kennedy asked us what we could do for America. This Democratic Party asks what can government give you. Don’t worry about paying the bill, it’s on your kids and grandkids.

Bill Clinton took on his base and made welfare a thing you had to work for; this current crowd guts the welfare work requirement in the dead of night.

Bill Clinton, Jack Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson reached out across the aisle and said meet me in the middle; but their party rammed through a healthcare bill that took over one-sixth of our economy, without accepting a single Republican idea, without winning a single vote in either house from a party whose constituents make up about 50 percent of the country.

You know, the Democrats used to have a night when they presented a film of their presidential legends: if they do it in Charlotte, the theme song should be this year’s hit, “Somebody That I Used to Know.”

Davis speaks for the people who voted for Obama and have seen their lives worsen ever since, a widely-experienced phenomenon as incomes have dropped faster during the Obama “recovery” than they did during the recession. More people are unemployed, more people are despairing, and now more people want real change. That is Davis’ audience.

In contrast, what will Crist’s audience be? People who voted for McCain, but now want to vote for Obama because they’re lives are so improved? That’s a pretty narrow slice of the population. Where Davis speaks for millions, Crist will speak for hundreds at best. But I bet MSNBC will carry every word of Crist’s speech live.

Blowback

Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.

In a lot of ways, Davis’s speech was the REAL thematic ‘keynote’ of the convention.

I actually think it was a big mistake for the GOP not to have promoted him to primetime, perhaps to have gone today before Condi and Ryan. I understand the reasoning: still a very small “who is this guy?” name, unproven as a speaker (until last night), etc.

But man, he absolutely stone-cold killed the everlovin’ daylights out of that speech, and it deserves to have been seen by every swing voter in the country. Most of the people who hang out around Hot Air might listen to him and say “well, I don’t get it — I was never fooled by Obama!” But he’s not speaking for you. He’s speaking to America’s swing voters, the people (from BOTH parties) who saw Obama and really DID believe — largely because they desperately wanted to believe this handsome cipher who brought the promise of racial progress and a ‘fresh start’ after eight sodden years of Bush — in “hope and change.”

And for that audience, this was devastating.

Three great speeches last night: Davis, Romney, Christie. Gonna be hard to top that tonight. Couldn’t have gotten off to a better start of the convention.

In contrast, what will Crist’s audience be? People who voted for McCain, but now want to vote for Obama because they’re lives are so improved? That’s a pretty narrow slice of the population. Where Davis speaks for millions, Crist will speak for hundreds at best.

I liked Christie’s speech too. We have the rest of the campaign to hear how great Mitt Romney is and there are enough speakers telling us how good Mitt Romney will be. I like Mitt Romney and know he is a very capable man, but I’d like to hear some speeches with real meat in them rather than verbal lovefests and baby pablum.

Christie laid out in plain terms, as did Artur Davis, what the Republican Party needs to do going forward. Hopefully, Mitt and company listened and will remember. We don’t need more of the old Republican politics which turned out to be as stale as the Democrats of old. The Dems have made an acute turn to the left. The Republicans need to make that same turn to the right.

Ladies and gentlemen, there are Americans who are listening to this speech tonight who haven’t always been with you, and I want you to let me talk — just to them – for a moment.

A great sleight of hand. Davis wants the audience to think he’s talking to black and brown people. He’s not. He’s talking to white Obama voters who want racial permission not to vote for Obama. Which makes perfect sense. Those white people who did vote for Obama to make themselves feel good about American race relations are precisely the kinds of shallow people who would be equally persuaded by a lone conservative black voice telling them “its OK, you’re not racist.” Thankfully, *most* white Obama voters were probably that shallow. Like every other Obama voter, regardless of race, his race was a reason for our excitement, but not for our votes. Its as good a play as the GOP has, we’ll see if anyone remembers the speech next week.

Think about it. Chris Christie speaks last night. Something you weirdos have been slobbering about for weeks. And it was such a craptacular speech the best you can do is make posts about MSNBC and how they weren’t fair to you.

Mitt looked like he was going to puke everytime they showed him. The speech was about the fat man almost exclusively. I HATE TEACHERS UNIONS!!! Who cares.

These tokens trotted out were nothing more than the thinnest of coverings. If you think Barry’s show is not going to crush this one you are in deep denial.

The thing about Davis that resonates, BTW, is that he’s an inverse Obama in the sense that the more you learn about him the MORE you like him, not the less. He’s one of the few politicians out there who actually writes compellingly on his own website (check it out, it’s right here. It’s not just some hired hack churning out inoffensive prose for him: his personal voice is unmistakeable (actually quite literary, interestingly enough), and what’s more unexpected is that he’s actually SAYING THINGS. Read some of his posts — he’s a really thoughtful, engaging guy.

I liked this guy a TON back when he was still a Democratic Congressman from Selma, AL (he won his seat by running a courageous Cory Booker-like insurrection campaign against the corrupt old-school CBC hack Earl Hilliard). I like him even more now.

Meanwhile, there ain’t nobody in the Democratic Party thinking “oh SWEET, I am so totally pumped about snagging Charlie Crist! Now our party finally STANDS FOR SOMETHING!”

Is race all you ever think about? Davis was speaking to everyone, not just “white Obama voters”. Liberals never see people … they see white, black, brown and yellow. They see gay and straight. They see male and female. They never can look at a person as just a person. They always have to be categorized.

More Artur Davis: You REALLY REALLY SHOULD READ his thoughts on Obama’s gutting of the work requirement in Welfare Reform, because Davis moves beyond the standard “ZOMG OH NO HE DIN’T” stuff to reflect on the motivations behind it. Again, not “well Obama did it because he’s EEEEEEVIL” caricatured hyperbole, but a plausible understanding of the personal dynamic behind it.

A great sleight of hand. Davis wants the audience to think he’s talking to black and brown people. He’s not. He’s talking to white Obama voters who want racial permission not to vote for Obama. Which makes perfect sense. Those white people who did vote for Obama to make themselves feel good about American race relations are precisely the kinds of shallow people who would be equally persuaded by a lone conservative black voice telling them “its OK, you’re not racist.” Thankfully, *most* white Obama voters were probably that shallow. Like every other Obama voter, regardless of race, his race was a reason for our excitement, but not for our votes. Its as good a play as the GOP has, we’ll see if anyone remembers the speech next week.

libfreeordie on August 29, 2012 at 10:13 AM

Baloney. His race had much to do with your votes-you used it to inoculate him from criticism while patting yourself on the back for the historic opportunity. Had nothing to do with his resume, certainly…you fell for bumper sticker slogans and lofty rhetoric because of the color of his skin. Period.

I’m hopeful that the video of Artur’s speech will be seen by way more people over this next week than saw it last night. Actually, portions of it would make a great campaign ad. Welcome, Artur. We’re honored to have you!

It is outrageous and sleazy that MSNBC did not air his speech but after the absolute orgy of hate and anger that MSNBC has been engaging in the last few weeks it is no surprise.
Matthews and team goes on their ridiculous race baiting rants and he made it perfectly clear he has the green light straight from the top.
They were an absolute disgrace last night.

It is outrageous and sleazy that MSNBC did not air his speech but after the absolute orgy of hate and anger that MSNBC has been engaging in the last few weeks it is no surprise.
Matthews and team goes on their ridiculous race baiting rants and he made it perfectly clear he has the green light straight from the top.
They were an absolute disgrace last night.

A great sleight of hand. Davis wants the audience to think he’s talking to black and brown people. He’s not. He’s talking to white Obama voters who want racial permission not to vote for Obama. Which makes perfect sense. Those white people who did vote for Obama to make themselves feel good about American race relations are precisely the kinds of shallow people who would be equally persuaded by a lone conservative black voice telling them “its OK, you’re not racist.” Thankfully, *most* white Obama voters were probably that shallow. Like every other Obama voter, regardless of race, his race was a reason for our excitement, but not for our votes. Its as good a play as the GOP has, we’ll see if anyone remembers the speech next week.

Those white people who did vote for Obama to make themselves feel good about American race relations are precisely the kinds of shallow people who would be equally persuaded by a lone conservative black voice telling them “its OK, you’re not racist.”

libfreeordie on August 29, 2012 at 10:13 AM

Which means Artur Davis could turn out to be single-handedly responsible for Obama’s defeat. “Those who voted for Obama the last time to prove they weren’t racist are going to have to vote against him this time to prove they aren’t stupid.”

One thing’s for sure: The CBC has their long knives out for Mr. Davis. Their posted comments at Obama Truth Team show how vicious they are toward any Black person who dares to leave the “Leftist Plantation” and speak out against Prince Obama.

The CBC is a group of pathetic, hateful people, and I can not understand how the members of the CBC continue to be elected to office.

As much as it needs to said, last night was not the time (nor the place) to speak the truth of LBJ… the singular democrat who succeeded in re-enslaving the blacks of America.

With the lure of ‘free money’, he blunted the rise of black citizenry (post-MLK) by destroying their families with the ‘Great Society’, dooming future generations of blacks to a cycle of fatherless homes and dependency… and securing a voter base for the ‘rat party.

LBJ’s singular legacy should be publicly addressed (even though Thomas Sole has written about it on more than one occasion).

They don’t teach children nowadays that the Democrat Party was the ‘party of slavery’, and how they became the party of bigotry.

Yes, they’re all that, and more… but last night had a different purpose, and Davis’ speech served that purpose well.

Plainly stating that the truth of “Hope & Change” was an illusion, and all the promises given were empty and meaningless.

You’d think such facts were self-evident, but as MSNBC showed, the memory hole is very real, and the creatures feeding it, are very busy.

Artur was my congressman when I was in AL. I lived in a HEAVILY Democratic area, but it was small enough that I had the chance to meet him and hear him speak on several occasions in generally small venues. I always thought, “if I could 30 minutes of his time, I’d love to ask him why he’s a Democrat.”

I was waiting for a thread on this speech–thought it was phenomenal. If it had received a wider viewing, I think there would be many today who would be thinking more deeply and more seriously about the choice ahead of them in November, instead of just blindly following the Obama train.

I actually would have liked to have known what all of my lib FB friends thought of it, but they were all too busy putting down millionaires last night after hearing Ann Romney’s speech.

Msdnc will air every bloody minute of the dnc convention…. see we are the party of diversity

cmsinaz on August 29, 2012 at 10:19 AM

Our house laughed out loud watching Artur school Roland and Gloria Borger on CNN. Newsbuster’s has the video on their site. I could have sworn they said heading to the commercial break that they’d be back to continue the discussion, but it never happened. I wonder why? (Not really). This guy is good.

Translation: You were unhappy with the way Republicans were running the country so you voted for obama and the promise of a new type of politician. Now Obama wasn’t all he was cracked up to be so lets elect one of those guys who wasn’t doing a good job four years ago and give them another chance.

A great sleight of hand. Davis wants the audience to think he’s talking to black and brown people. He’s not. He’s talking to white Obama voters who want racial permission not to vote for Obama. Which makes perfect sense. Those white people who did vote for Obama to make themselves feel good about American race relations are precisely the kinds of shallow people who would be equally persuaded by a lone conservative black voice telling them “its OK, you’re not racist.” Thankfully, *most* white Obama voters were probably that shallow. Like every other Obama voter, regardless of race, his race was a reason for our excitement, but not for our votes. Its as good a play as the GOP has, we’ll see if anyone remembers the speech next week.

libfreeordie on August 29, 2012 at 10:13 AM

Ladies and gentlemen I present the epitome of the ‘Dog Whistle Dbag’. A person so blinded by racial antagonism that they MUST find racial animus in everything even where none exists. I warn you to keep your distance, especially one’s mind, far from this sort of creature because their racist screed will infect you with morontosis and once infected there is no cure.

Think about it. Chris Christie speaks last night. Something you weirdos have been slobbering about for weeks. And it was such a craptacular speech the best you can do is make posts about MSNBC and how they weren’t fair to you.

Mitt looked like he was going to puke everytime they showed him. The speech was about the fat man almost exclusively. I HATE TEACHERS UNIONS!!! Who cares.

These tokens trotted out were nothing more than the thinnest of coverings. If you think Barry’s show is not going to crush this one you are in deep denial.

Uh oh, he mentioned the name of a song, when is YouTube going to pull the video for copyright infringement. There is also applause and someone yelling “WOO!” at the end of the speech, there is applause and someone yelling “WOO!” on several live albums, I think that is a violation, too. Get ‘em ‘Tube! (obvious /sarc)

Great speech by Davis. I had the feeling though that he really had alot more to say and that he was holding back, maybe in deference to the hurricane emergency going on nearby. I had that feeling about alot of the speakers though. I’m thinking that if Artur Davis ever turned it loose and said EVERYTHING that was on his mind… it would be a sight to behold. lol

A great sleight of hand. Davis wants the audience to think he’s talking to black and brown people. He’s not. He’s talking to white Obama voters who want racial permission not to vote for Obama. Which makes perfect sense. Those white people who did vote for Obama to make themselves feel good about American race relations are precisely the kinds of shallow people who would be equally persuaded by a lone conservative black voice telling them “its OK, you’re not racist.”

Wow, just like the old days. The Dems lynch them if they wander off the plantation.

Artur was my congressman when I was in AL. I lived in a HEAVILY Democratic area, but it was small enough that I had the chance to meet him and hear him speak on several occasions in generally small venues. I always thought, “if I could 30 minutes of his time, I’d love to ask him why he’s a Democrat.”

mankai on August 29, 2012 at 10:49 AM

I met him several times between the years 2003-2007… and I knew he was no Marxist… but in that part of AL, if you were not a (D) you didn’t win.

The Left is just upset that their monopoly may end… then the game is over.

But I fear, just as in Plato’s Cave, after those like Artur have seen the light and try and go back and tell their friends, they’ll be laughed at for ruining their eyesight.

Think about it. Chris Christie speaks last night. Something you weirdos have been slobbering about for weeks. And it was such a craptacular speech the best you can do is make posts about MSNBC and how they weren’t fair to you.

Mitt looked like he was going to puke everytime they showed him. The speech was about the fat man almost exclusively. I HATE TEACHERS UNIONS!!! Who cares.

These tokens trotted out were nothing more than the thinnest of coverings. If you think Barry’s show is not going to crush this one you are in deep denial.

tommyhawk on August 29, 2012 at 10:15 AM

The difference is that Romney doesn’t like to promote himself, so he is almost uncomfortable with people praising him, while Obama is all about himself and how great he is, seeking praise and adulation all the time.

Barry’s show may crush this one in spectacle, but that’s all it’ll be.

People voted the “celebrity” 4 years ago. I’ll take the humble, private sector experienced guy anytime over the attention grabbing one.

These tokens trotted out were nothing more than the thinnest of coverings. If you think Barry’s show is not going to crush this one you are in deep denial.

tommyhawk on August 29, 2012 at 10:15 AM

I am utterly offended by Obama’s platform (war on women) for his convention. I am his key demographic; white, educated, upper middle class, his age, from IL, and I despise the empty suit that is our president.

He has reduced women to simply being vessels for free contraception! Don’t you understand that? This is NOT what my mother’s generation fought for! Where is the voice of the female owned/operated company, the female CEO, women in science and math? Noooooo, he just has that shrill Sandra Fluke, who has worked with Pelosi for quite some time–she is no innocent. Fluke most CERTAINLY does not represent me, nor my daughters. All he does is denigrate…I want him and his platform humiliated next week.

He is worried about “a woman’s right to free contraception, free healthcare”. Really? Privacy, too? Hmmm, well if Roe v Wade gave me the “right to privacy” doesn’t Obamacare take away that very right by mandating every aspect of my healthcare?

Truly, Tommyhawk, i do not say this sarcastically, please think about what Obama says…with one hand he gives, with the other he takes. Is this what you want for your daughters–government in every part of their lives, every private decision of their lives? I, most emphatically, do not!

A great sleight of hand. Davis wants the audience to think he’s talking to black and brown people. He’s not. He’s talking to white Obama voters who want racial permission not to vote for Obama.

libfreeordie on August 29, 2012 at 10:13 AM

According to you, Davis is racist because his target audience is white liberals. How very racist of you. And how presumptuous you are for assuming that black people don’t want to leave or shouldn’t leave the plantation.

Now that Davis has left the plantation, you want to marginalize him and say that his speech doesn’t count and that he doesn’t count.

Rush is going to put some of Artur’s speech on in a few minutes. He just said this might have been the best speech of the day(not direct quote)! For all those who listen to Rush, it sure doesn’t hurt to have him to say good job?
L